Building Zaha by Victoria Tentler-Krylov

In the 1800s, the first group consisted mainly of Arab Christians fleeing religious persecution and economic insecurity in the Ottoman Empire, from the region that today makes up Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine. Since those very early days, there have been several waves of Arab immigration into the United States. While the celebration of Arab American Heritage Month is fairly new, the history which it commemorates dates back as far as 1527, when Estebanico Azemmouri, a native of present-day Morocco, and Antonio Bishallany, a native of present-day Lebanon, arrived to what would many years later become the United States, becoming the first members of the Arab American community that is estimated today to number approximately 3.7 million people. Congress, Department of State, 45 state governors, and many mayors and city governments across the country, including both New York City and New York State, all issuing proclamations of their own. president to issue a proclamation acknowledging Arab American Heritage Month in April 2021. While it is still not officially federally recognized with permanent legislation, President Biden became the first U.S. It also serves as a time to combat Anti-Arab bigotry and to challenge stereotypes and prejudices.Īrab American Heritage Month began as a 2017 initiative that only involved a few states and cities, but recognition has been steadily spreading since then. April is Arab American Heritage Month! During this time, we celebrate Arab Americans throughout the past and present, and recognize their invaluable contributions to our country.

Building Zaha by Victoria Tentler-Krylov